Reading 2 Millwall 0

By Footymad PreviewerLast updated : 02 November 2002

Nicky Forster continued his hot streak as Reading saw off Millwall 2-0 at the Madejski Stadium.

The pacy striker headed his fifth goal in as many games to set Reading on their way tovictory, Andy Hughes adding the gloss in the final minute.

Forster caused no end of problems for a stretched Millwall defence and was unlucky not to claim a spectacular first-half hat-trick.

He put Reading in front inside six minutes with a clinical header from a tight angle.

James Harper's searching cross was missed by Lions keeper Tony Warner, who wasa pparently unaided by the Football League's new day-glow ball and Forster met his header sweetly to continue his scoring run.

Warner almost teed up Forster for a remarkable header four minutes before half time when he hacked clear under pressure from Harper and could only watch as Forster's speculative effort on the turn flew agonisingly wide from 40 yards.

But the Millwall keeper redeemed himself with a superb reaction save to push. Forster's flicked header on to the crossbar on the stroke of half time.

After those first-half reprieves, Millwall pushed hard for a way back after the break and prompted some frantic defending from the Reading backline.

But the closest Millwall came to a leveller was a Dennis Wise's shot which Adie Williams did brilliantly to block as the visitors failed to force a single save from Reading keeper Marcus Hahnemann.

And a second successive clean sheet was complemented by Reading's crucial second goal two minutes into injury time.

Darren Ward felled Martin Butler on the edge of the box and John Salako's rolled free-kick set Hughes up for a drive into the corner of Warner's net.

Victory was especially sweet for the Royals as it came at the expense of their formermanager Mark McGhee.